FORT KNOX, Ky. - The Army Inspector General is an Army organization that upholds and epitomizes the Army values, Warrior Ethos, and the Army Civilian Corps Creed. The Army IG is comprised of noncommissioned officers, officers, and Department of the Army civilians.
Army IG inspectors hold positions of authority as confidential advisors and fact finders who report directly to their assigned commanders. Through examining the role and authority of Army IGs, I had the opportunity to interview my mother, Master Sgt. Eva E. Butler, as a means to foster a greater understanding of the importance the IG plays in the lives of active duty and Reserve Soldiers.
Through my research of the IG, I interviewed my mother to grasp insight on the scope in which the IG covers as leaders within the Army. An assistant field inspector general for the United States Army Recruiting Command, Butler inspects recruiting companies and centers throughout the United States. Butler’s responsibilities include teaching and training leaders, and ensuring all Soldiers are in compliance with the regulatory guidance. Additionally, Butler establishes mentorship programs with leaders, which allows them to have an avenue to receive further guidance for their growth and development as leaders within their military careers.
Speaking with Butler gave me an excellent opportunity to examine the role the IG plays within the Active Duty Army and the Army Reserve. One of the things we discussed was the role of the IG. According to Butler, the IG “provides an individual within a unit an opportunity to receive ideas and lessons from previous experiences, as well as teaching and training leaders how to manage their Soldiers in career progression and day-to-day operations concerning a unit’s welfare.”
Establishing this understanding of the IG’s role, Butler explained why the IG is significant for all Soldiers.
“If a Soldier has a problem with a leader following regulatory guidance, there are additional resources the Soldier can take advantage of through the IG offices,” Butler said. “These resources include assistance and investigation.”
Assistance within the IG encompasses ensuring a unit or organization is following proper protocol and regulatory guidance stated within the regulations. The IG can conduct an investigation if an organization is not in compliance with following regulatory guidance. Through this channel of authority, Soldiers can lodge a complaint against their leadership. In addition to assistance and investigations, the IG adheres to maintaining the well-being of all Soldiers within the Army. The IG can assist Soldiers in measures to accommodate their individual needs.
The last concept we discussed entailed how Butler felt Army Reserve Soldiers, in particular, benefit from the services of the IG.
“Many Army Reserve Soldiers are not aware of the benefits of seeking out an IG,” Butler said. “With many reserve units far from military installations, Reserve Soldiers feel they may not have the ability to reach out to authority who can assist in issues concerning their Army careers.”
With this knowledge in mind, the Army IG assures Soldiers they are not prohibited from seeking IG assistance to inspect the leadership within an organization, if the organization is in question of adhering to regulatory guidance.
Butler also said that many Soldiers are unaware that an outside source can file an IG complaint.
The IG’s protocol states that a Soldier does not specifically have to lodge a complaint within an IG investigation. A third party can file a complaint on behalf of a Soldier, with the Soldier’s consent, against the Soldier’s leadership that is not in regulatory guidance or may be experiencing leadership challenges within his organization.
Gaining this knowledge in our interview, I strongly feel Army Reserve Soldiers must develop an awareness of their resources to maintain the standards of their unit’s command climate, as well as for their own military careers.
To summarize, the Army IG plays a great role in making sure Soldiers are adhering to the standards of the United States Army. Having this knowledge is beneficial to Soldiers in understanding helpful resources available to maintain the values instilled in them and their leaders. As emerging leaders within their units, Soldiers have to establish a firm understanding of the importance of using the proper chain of command, as well as the IG’s resources to rectify grievances and maintain order within active duty and Reserve units alike.
| Date Taken: | 06.10.2015 |
| Date Posted: | 06.17.2015 11:20 |
| Story ID: | 166968 |
| Location: | FORT KNOX, KY, US |
| Web Views: | 99 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, The Army IG: Up Close and Personal, by 1LT Ashlin Randolph, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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